what's your view on customer call/text in for price on a repair.

[DataRecoverySingapore]

Okay ,
we do computer/laptop/macbook walk-in ad-hoc repair.
So with advancement of technology and information, there's customer jump straight into questions
eg ;
Hey how do you charge for Macbook Pro A1286 Left Speaker replacement.
high chance this customer has been doing his research and wish to minimize his cost.

If you notice Branded computer service center such as Apple,Asus,Acer they don't give price through the phone.
The most, they will let you know the diagnostic charge + any Tax.

let me know what's your view and how you handle it .
cheers

 

[Diggs]

Maybe it's different there, but pretty straight-forward here. He asked you to quote the price of a specific repair job. Why wouldn't you respond with that price?

 

[backwoodsman]

I think a customer deserves to know up-front as much as I know about what it's going to cost. I don't have set per-job prices, so I tell them what I normally expect the work to cost, estimating on the high side. I emphasize that it's a ballpark number, not a quote, and will vary depending on the time it actually takes. So they have a good idea what to expect, and aren't too unpleasantly surprised if it goes higher.

 

[Your PCMD]

I always answer with a question. Will you be paying in cash or credit?

Really though. My answer would be the generic response. "As an estimate and not a quote, it could be anywhere from $50 to $150 plus parts."

Of course I adjust the price according to what needs to be done. On the A1286, it shouldn't take long to replace the speaker.

 

[sapphirescales]

If they're a PURE price shopper, I get them off the phone ASAP to free up the line for GOOD clients that are actually willing to pay to get their issue resolved. You can tell the type of pure price shopper by the way they talk. You can just tell that some of them have a list of 10 repair places and are just calling down the list to get the cheapest price. Those people I give the boot immediately. I give them a price range or even lie and say that we don't do those types of repairs. Whatever it takes to get the suckers off the phone!

Now I'm not saying that anyone that asks about price is a cheap wad price shopper, but if asking about the price is the FIRST thing out of their mouth, they're not worth dealing with. This is especially common with Indians (people from India) and Chinese (though the Chinese are usually willing to spend a bit more if they feel like they're getting a bit more). But there are cheap wad price shoppers of all races. However if I answer the phone and the person has an accent, I'm super eager to get them off the line unless they immediately make their intentions known.

I should say that this will NOT work in a lower end demographic. If you do this in some neighborhoods, you'll go out of business very quickly. So if all you get are price shopping cheap wads, your best bet to move. But if you can't or won't move, then just give them a range and try to get them to commit to coming in ASAP. If you know that the problem will cost at least $150 to solve, quote them $100 to $200. Then try to charge them $200 in the end. If they bitch and moan about it, then you can offer a one time discount to get the price down to $150 if they're from one of the bartering cultures (this mostly applies to India, but is present in other cultures as well). Then you just put in a note for that client and always pull this crap with them. They actually like and expect it.

If you can't tell, I used to be in a low end area. Had tons of Chinese, Indian, Mexican, and African customers. The method I described above seems sleazy to Americans, but it's actually what these cultures expect. You've got to adapt to your target market. I'm SO freaking glad I moved to a better area though. Dealing with cheap wads really wears you down. My favorite clients were white and Korean because they didn't seem to want to barter so much and were usually willing to spend more.

 

[kwest]

I would respond how do you know it is the left speaker.

I would suggest bringing it in for a 50 diag and the 50 would go towards the repair. If it is infact the left speaker it would be x. But it would better for us to diag it first.

If customer doesn't want diag and says it is the left speaker then we would give them the price and also tell them if it doesn't fix the problem they will still have to pay for the repair.

Now if they cracked their LCD then we would just give them the price of the repair.

 

[Krynn72]

I'm with @sapphirescales, the price shoppers aren't worth much time. But whats worse in OP's situation, and in many other price shopping customers is the fact that they've "pre-diagnosed" their own problem. Thats always a bad sign.

The shop I worked for has a bad review from a customer who called us asking about a specific repair. I forget the details but is was something like "I need the wifi card and keyboard replaced on a 2010 macbook pro. How much does that cost?". My boss had answered the phone and asked me what I thought. I said "have him bring it in for diagnostic, could be liquid damage and have other possible issues". Bossman of course ignored me, and said "maybe $150 to do both". I roll my eyes

Guy brings it in, I can tell he's a self-assured know it all as I check it in. I should have opened the f-ing thing right on the counter in front of him, because lo and behold, it was liquid damaged.

Long story short, I only offered data recovery (at that point, we didn't have the ability for motherboard repairs). He declines and takes it back, a couple days later he said it won't turn on now and starts screaming at us that we made it worse, and demanded we pay for the $750 repair from Apple.

That wasn't an uncommon thing either. Pretty much every time someone called with their own conclusions about what was wrong and what to do to fix it, it was a shitshow. I started telling people "that sounds like you know what you're doing. Maybe its better as a DIY job since we charge *insert absurdly high price* just for labor on something like that". Of course, if the boss answered he'd offer it for 50% off and leave us to deal with the fallout....

 

[Markverhyden]

Yep. "How do you know it's a problem with the left speaker itself?"

Over the years I've seen occasional reports of "investigative" reporters doing things like that. Ask for an estimate, then bring it in but something else was the cause of the issue. Like wifi is not working but the wifi switch was turned off.

I'll give them a price range predicated on the possible failure. Then make sure they verbally acknowledge that limit.

 

[myPCTechs]

Many local computer repair shops offer a free eval. Bring it in, drop it off, and they will tell you what's wrong with it and how much it will cost to fix it.

 

[mraikes]

If someone asked me the same question as the OP, my response would be "If that's actually the problem, my charge would be $x for labor, $x for the speaker, + tax. When would you like to drop it off?" If their self diagnosis is wrong, then we'll straighten it out when i actually have their computer.

But I charge flat rate for most things (not onsites) so it's not that difficult a question to answer.

Some people get their hackles up over pricing being an upfront question, but I think it's reasonable. If roles were reversed, I'd be asking that question too.

 

[Porthos]

Many local computer repair shops offer a free eval. Bring it in, drop it off, and they will tell you what's wrong with it and how much it will cost to fix it.

And many here will tell you that it invites the cheapskates to come in and find out what is wrong and fix it on their own.
That is being said...If I tell what's wrong in the time it takes to boot the computer and run gsmartcontrol then it is checked in for a paid up front diag fee.

 

[mraikes]

And many here will tell you that it invites the cheapskates to come in and find out what is wrong and fix it on their own.
That is being said...If I tell what's wrong in the time it takes to boot the computer and run gsmartcontrol then it is checked in for a paid up front diag fee.

Yes, that's why I don't advertise or offer evals or diagnostics as a stand alone service. I do charge a diagnostic fee if a customer chooses not to move forward with a reasonable repair, but that happens so rarely that I don't even recall the last time it occurred.

 

[SAFCasper]

I give them a rough estimate over the phone but strongly stress it's only an estimate based on their own diagnosis. It could be half of this, it could be treble. I can't give anything more accurate until we inspect the device ourselves.

I would never give a real quotation without having the device present. Too much potential for things to go wrong.


PS.
Similar to mraikes we only charge a diagnostic fee when a repair is reasonable but the client doesn't wish to proceed. Say it's an £80 repair on a PC that cost £899 just 18 months ago. To book that in and not proceed with repair - clearly just milking us for a free diagnosis.

 

[Diggs]

It seems that responses are that it could be other things and not the left speaker, or that only cheap-skates ask for an estimate. If you find it's not the speaker, then fine. That's when you talk to the customer and the estimate starts changing based on what you find. But I don't get it. If I went to the mechanic and asked how much it was to replace the alternator in my car and he started tap dancing around about it may be this, or may be that, and not give me an estimate to replace my alternator, then I'm out of there not to come back.

 

[sapphirescales]

It seems that responses are that it could be other things and not the left speaker, or that only cheap-skates ask for an estimate. If you find it's not the speaker, then fine. That's when you talk to the customer and the estimate starts changing based on what you find. But I don't get it. If I went to the mechanic and asked how much it was to replace the alternator in my car and he started tap dancing around about it may be this, or may be that, and not give me an estimate to replace my alternator, then I'm out of there not to come back.

Me too. I would be my own worst customer because I'm cheap and want to know the costs up front, and I'm not willing to pay extra for anything. But I am NOT my target market. I'm just a cheap ass, and I'm perfectly fine admitting that. When someone like me calls in, I give them the boot ASAP. My competitors can have them. There's only so many hours in the day, and I'd rather work smarter than work longer/harder. I've been on both sides of the fence, and I can tell you that I MUCH prefer working smarter.

 

[Blues]

Lots of input already that I concur with but I will give my summary view of this. If a user request a specific fix I will quote an estimate but inform them I will have to perform my own diagnostics to confirm the problem and quote what that cost and make clear that it is part of the previously given estimate. When they are vague then it is simply something along the lines of "Until I know precisely what the problem is I cannot quote anything" people take or leave these type of responses and I'm good with either result. The people who leave it are cheap and looking for bottom dollar most of the time the others understand my need to assess the problem and provide an accurate and complete solution.

 

[DataRecoverySingapore]

And many here will tell you that it invites the cheapskates to come in and find out what is wrong and fix it on their own.
That is being said...If I tell what's wrong in the time it takes to boot the computer and run gsmartcontrol then it is checked in for a paid up front diag fee.

When I first started, following my previous boss strategy, I offer free diagnostic. I remember seeing this customer A once, he came in for a free diagnose, and ask me to list down all the parts is working and not working. Which I did.

Subsequently we changed to paid diagnose. This customer A came back again. Before I lay any finger on his PC, I told him I charge x amount diagnostic fee.
He gave me a laugh and told me , He came to me for diagnose because I offer FREE diagnose.
I gave him a cold-unbelievable-this-****-exist-smile and told him we change policy. He left and I never see any ever after.
Revenue pick up due to the additional diagnostic fee and I stop handling those "I come here for free diagnose ONLY"

 

[Blues]

When I first started, following my previous boss strategy, I offer free diagnostic. I remember seeing this customer A once, he came in for a free diagnose, and ask me to list down all the parts is working and not working. Which I did.

Subsequently we changed to paid diagnose. This customer A came back again. Before I lay any finger on his PC, I told him I charge x amount diagnostic fee.
He gave me a laugh and told me , He came to me for diagnose because I offer FREE diagnose.
I gave him a cold-unbelievable-this-****-exist-smile and told him we change policy. He left and I never see any ever after.
Revenue pick up due to the additional diagnostic fee and I stop handling those "I come here for free diagnose ONLY"

Yeah free diagnostics just invites lost billable time but like others I don't bill as a diagnostics unless service is refused. There is a cost for any and all service and if you refuse service the cost is diagnostics. Diagnostics is just step 1 to solving any problem and sometimes the largest amount of time invested in solving a problem so definitely not something I want to give away.

 

[sapphirescales]

Not charging for diagnostics is insane. Your time is valuable. We charge a diagnostic fee and it's NOT waived if you proceed with the repair. When I go to get my car repaired, do they waive the $150 diagnostic fee if I decide to get the brakes fixed? Of course not! Why should they spend time and money diagnosing the problem for free?

 

[Blues]

@sapphirescales Diagnostics is part of "Labor" billable hours and when someone stops at diagnostics re-labeling the bill as Diagnostics instead of Labor helps those clients know what they paid for if you label it as labor w/o fixing they will question and argue. The people who continue with the fix it is part of the total Labor and doesn't get broken out to keep billing neat and clean. I believe this is how others including myself view this and bill it out there is no lost revenue for us and billing is clean and simple.